How the Merc Found the Spider
by Plumcot
Summary: Peter Parker's life is stressful, to say the least. Between his schoolwork, his job, his patrolling duties, and trying to get his elderly Aunt May to agree to a rest home, his only refuge the the My Little Pony Fansite he frequents, where he's been exchanging PMs with the mysterious "Ponypool". Spiderman/Deadpool. Companion story to "The Stray". Some language, not too much.
1. Chapter 1: Meeting Ponypool

**Author's note: Hey, readers! In my main fic, The Stray, I write about a pre-established relationship between Spiderman and Deadpool. This is the story of how they got together. It's three chapters long, (you'll get chapter 2 tomorrow and so on) and I hope you enjoy it! It can be read without reading The Stray, but the experience will be better if you read both. Read and review, please!**

* * *

Peter Parker was exhausted. After a long day at Empire State University, the last thing he had wanted to do was to have to sit down with his Aunt May and have "the talk."

"Oh, but Peter, I have you!" She had protested when he suggested a nursing home.

"I know, Aunt May, but I'm not always here." She stood firm.

"You're too busy with your education, you need someone here to help you." Peter sighed, running his hands through his unkempt brown hair.

"And I'm sorry, but maybe you're just…"

"Just too old?" She said, with a sad look in her eyes.

"Aunt May, you already had your license confiscated by the city." She folded her arms indignantly.

"I would have been fine, if they hadn't hidden the stop sign so well."

"Please? Just think about it?" She sighed.

"I will. I promise I will, Peter, but it's a hard decision to make. I'd miss you."

"And I'd miss you too, Aunt May." Peter stood up and wrapped his Aunt in a hug. She smelled, like always, of lavender shampoo and dryer lint. He was determined to remember as much as he could about her in case… he could never really bring himself to think about what he was preparing for. He pulled away and took her hand, helping her step by step up the stairs to her bedroom. As he flicked the light off and left her room for his own, he couldn't help but feel like a worried father. The roles reversed. He sat down with a long exhale in the office chair in front of his desk. He looked at the clock; it was eight fifteen at night. He really should be getting to bed. He had some early-morning classes he couldn't miss.

Ah, what the heck. He thought to himself as he pulled open his laptop computer and logged onto his favorite My Little Pony fansite. This was his secret shame. His guilty pleasure. Yes, the friendly neighborhood Spiderman was a Brony. Forget Spiderman; if even regular old Peter Parker was found out, there would be no end to it. He browsed the forums, looking for replies to some of his topics. Nothing. Then he saw, in the corner of the screen, a private message. He clicked on it and smiled. Ponypool again.

He and this Ponypool guy had been exchanging messages for weeks now. They'd met in a forum discussion of Pinkie Pie vs Rarity. Of course, Pinkie Pie was the obvious choice. And this Ponypool guy had agreed. Something had clicked, as much as it could when all Peter had to go on was the avatar, and they'd been friends ever since. Even Ponypool's avatar was something unique; it was all red and black, and its cutie mark was an explosion. A mushroom cloud. Peter read the message.

Hey, Ponypool here! Listen, I get what you're saying about Rainbow Dash, but we both know that in terms of pure charm, Pinkie Pie kicks ass. BTW, saw your high score on the trivia game; I _will_ obliterate it soon. Hey, here's a thought; why don't we get together? Put faces to the avatars?

-Ponypool

Peter was surprised. And, at the same time, delighted. Aunt May's voice rang in the back of his head;

"Don't ever trust anyone you meet online, Peter! It's easy for people to lie from behind a keyboard." He pushed the thought away. He was twenty two years old, he could decide these things for himself. He hesitated. Then hit the reply button.

I'd love to meet! Where and when?

-Sugarcookie

Yes, his avatar's name was Sugarcookie. Blame an affinity for sweets. Almost immediately, the message box pinged with Ponypool's reply.

There's this coffee shop in Forest Hills that has the _best _cinnamon buns you have ever tasted. My treat! I dunno about a time, I'm pretty much free all week. Until Sunday; Sunday I have a thing with an international superstar someone wants dead.

-Ponypool

Peter chuckled. Ponypool liked to pepper his messages with random little statements like that. Last time it was some gibberish about chimichangas… whatever those were. He put his fingers to the keyboard.

I know the place you're talking about, it's right near me. How about Wednesday, say around four?

-Sugarcookie

Sounds great! I'll meet you there!

-Ponypool

Pete frowned.

But… how will I recognize you?

-Sugarcookie

Oh, don't worry, I look just like my avatar.

-Ponypool

Peter raised one eyebrow, confused. He looked just like his avatar? That seemed a little far-fetched. He sent another message.

What do you mean you look just like your avatar?

-Sugarcookie

He waited, but got no reply. He finally crawled into bed at around nine thirty, and fell asleep wondering just what Ponypool might look like.

"Ooh, mysterious!" Mary Jane said when Peter told her about the meeting. Mary Jane Watson was Peter's long-time girlfriend and confidante, and since Harry had passed, she was the only person in the world who knew about his secret identity as Spiderman. "You even have code names and everything!"

"They're not code-names, they're usernames."

"Still, it must be nice to meet someone with the same interests as you. I mean, I'm no dunce, but even I can't keep up when you talk physics!"

"Yeah, right." Peter had told MJ that he'd met Ponypool on an online physical science board.

"Do you think I can meet this… what was it?"

"Er, Helix321."

"Right. Well?"

"Somehow I think I should meet the guy first, make sure he's not a psychopath?"

"You're so paranoid!" The redhead smiled as she took Peter's elbow in her arms, and they walked down the halls together.

"And you love it, right?"

"That's right." They stopped; this was where they parted ways. MJ had an acting class, and Peter was taking advanced physics. He gave her a little peck goodbye, and began walking through the halls to his class. His mind wandered the entire time the professor was talking. He was normally hanging on her every word, but he couldn't help but imagine what would happen later that day, when he was scheduled to meet Ponypool in the coffee shop. By the time he actually walked through the doors of the friendly little shop called "Dave's Place", he was nearly bursting with the curiosity. The place was small, but cozy. There were couches and armchairs set up in some corners, and a counter with a girl standing behind it. Other than her and Peter, it was empty.

"Hey there, what can I get for you?" The girl behind the counter asked.

"Er, just a coffee, please. Light and sweet." As the girl was counting his money into the cash register, he saw her expression change from concentration to pure disdain as she looked up at the door. He heard the bell ring, and turned just in time to see him enter. Yup; it was Ponypool alright. True to his word, he was dressed in his avatar's colors; a red-and-black body suit, complete with mask. There was a belt slung around his waist covered in pouches, and… were those swords on his back?

"Hey, Trixie!" Ponypool said, swaggering up to the front counter. "You miss me?"

"No, no I didn't. You were _banned_ last time you came in here."

"Oh, come on! It's not like I did anything permanent!"

"You burned the shop down." Trixie folded her arms.

"You rebuilt! And besides, my idea totally would've worked if-"

"If it weren't for the laws of physics?" They had a brief stare-off. Then Trixie sighed, and threw her hands up in the air. "Fine. What are you here for, then? Come to finish the job?"

"Nah, I'm meeting someone."

"Really?" A mischievous glint flashed in Trixie's eyes. "A girl?" Peter bit his tongue to keep from snickering.

"Well, her avatar's name is Sugarcookie, so…" Peter coughed loudly, and they both turned to him.

"Um… that's me." Peter could see Ponypool's eyebrow raise even under the mask.

"Really? Somehow I thought you'd be a bit more…" He traced out a curvy, female figure in the air with his hands. Peter scowled.

"Well, excuse me for being born male!"

"Oh, I know. I regret it all the time. So, what's your real name?"

"Peter. Peter Parker." Peter offered his hand, and Ponypool shook it.

"Ooh, nice name. Can I call you Pete?"

"Um, sure." No! What are you doing? A voice in Peter's head began to chastise him. We hate the name Pete! He pushed the voice to the back of his mind. "So," He said. "What can I call you?" Ponypool seemed to think for a moment.

"You know what? You can call me Wade. Wade Wilson." They sat down, and Trixie brought over two cups of coffee.

"Aww, you remembered my order!" Wade said as Peter sipped his own drink contentedly.

"Yeah, of course I did. You're the only one brave enough to drink it." She turned to Peter. "It's the strongest stuff in the house; black. I personally think he's just being macho."

"Hey, this is good stuff!" He dug into his pocket and pulled out a wad of singles.

"You expect me to count this?" Trixie eyed him disapprovingly.

"Ah, to hell with it. Just keep the change." She walked away back to the counter. Wade turned back to Peter. He lifted his mask, revealing just a sliver of skin around his mouth, and took a sip of the coffee. For a second, Peter thought his face looked like it had been hit with a meat tenderizer, but he didn't get long to study it before the mask went down again. "So Pete, I gotta ask; why the name Sugarcookie?" Peter's cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink.

"I like sweets."

"Yeah, I can smell the sugar in that cup from here." This was getting a little awkward… what would be a good icebreaker?

"So, what do you do for a living, Wade?" Wade raised his eyebrow.

"I'm a merc, dumbass. Didn't I explain this to you on the site?"

"B-but… I thought you were joking!" Peter sputtered.

"Nope, serious as… well, as something really serious." Peter noticed Wade's hands and feet start to jitter. The coffee he was drinking must have been really strong.

"So, you kill people for money?"

"Yup! Love it, too. I don't just kill people, though. Sometimes I get to go on super-secret missions. Which usually involve killing people."

"So, those swords…?"

"Aren't just for show. Check it out!" He pulled one of the swords out from his back, and held it above his head.

"Wade, don't!" Trixie shouted. It was too late. He brought it down with a crash on the table, splitting the whole thing right in half. Peter wondered why he felt like hot coffee had been splashed all over him, until he realized it had; he had cut his cup clean in half, too.

"Epic, right?!" Wade said excitedly, oblivious to the damage he'd caused.

"Out." Trixie growled, marching toward them. "Out, out out out!"

"Whoa! Looks like it's time to split!" Wade grabbed Peter's hand and pulled him out the door. "Call me!" He blew a kiss to Trixie as they ran.

"Wade!" Peter shouted. He couldn't seem to hear him over the adrenaline pumping through his system. "Wade, slow down!" That did it. He stopped short, leaving Peter to slam into his backside.

"Guess I can cross another one off my list of places I'm actually allowed in…" Wade said, scratching his head. "Hey, I'll have you know that was all me!" Great, Peter thought as he sat on the ground, watching him; now he's having a conversation with himself. "Ah, don't worry. She'll let us back, she always does." A pause. "Who? Oh, yeah!" He turned back to Peter. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." Peter said coldly as he stood up and dusted himself off. "What the hell was that?"

"What was what?"

"That!" Peter gestured in the direction of the shop. For once in his life, he was at a loss for words. "What the… what were you? Gah!" Wade snorted.

"That was a demonstration!" He said. "Did you like it?" Peter stood, eyeing him. Eventually Wade just sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Hey, sorry I got us kicked out, okay?" It was then that a grin spread across his face, so wide Peter could see it even under the mask. "Now there's an idea, Yellow! I knew there was a reason I kept you around!" He swooped in on Peter and slung him over his shoulder, running off through the traffic.

"What the hell, Wade?!" Peter shouted. He probably could have easily escaped his grip, given the whole "superpowers" thing, but did he dare risk it out in the open like this? Not that he wasn't enough of a spectacle already.

"Just wait! I'm taking you to my favorite spot!" When he finally stopped and put him down, Peter stood up and looked around. They were on top of a cliff, overlooking a busy highway.

"What is this?" He asked, eying the scenery curiously.

"My favorite spot. I like to just sit up here and watch the cars, you know?" He sat down, and Peter followed his example. "It's like, you look at them, and they look like ants, you know? And then you think how good they'd be covered in chocolate. They'd probably be pretty damn hard to eat, though. I couldn't fit my mouth around one of those things if I tried. Unless I had a mouth about as big as the Hulk's! I wonder if the Hulk eats cars?" Peter propped his head up in his hands as he listened to him ramble. If this had been one of his friends, even MJ, he probably would have shut them up a long time ago. But somehow he liked listening to him. Of course, there went the voice in his head again; this man just demolished private property, then kidnapped you and brought you here against your will? What are you doing, just run!

"Hey, you okay?" He lost his train of thought when he noticed Wade waving a hand in front of his face.

"Oh, yeah. Just kinda lost in thought."

"I know what you mean. I once got so lost it took me _weeks _to find my way back." Peter giggled. Wait… giggled? He didn't giggle! At the very most, he would sometimes let out a very manly chuckle… what was wrong with him? "So, what's going on with you?" Wade asked. Peter bit his lip, thinking. Should he talk to him? About himself, about his life?

"Well, if you really want to know…" They sat and talked that way late into the night. Finally, when he realized how dark it had gotten, Peter stood up and announced that he had to go.

"Well, that sucks!" Wade said. "Sure you can't stay a while longer?"

"No, I have to get home to my Aunt May." He froze. Aunt May. He had completely forgotten about her! She could have fallen down the stairs, or wandered out of the house and gotten lost, or- he stopped himself before he could imagine any more gruesome fates. "I really have to leave. Goodbye, it was great." He started to leave, but before he could, Wade caught him by the shoulder. Peter was about to ask him what the deal was, but when he turned around, he was shocked to find Wade planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Bye for now, Sugarcookie!" He said delightedly before disappearing into the night. Peter took a moment to be dazed. Then snapped out of it and quickly ran back to his house.

"Aunt May?" He shouted worriedly through the house. "Aunt May?"

"I can hear you, Peter, there's no need to shout!" He ran through the house and skidded into the living room, where he found his aunt watching the Discovery Channel on their cheap little TV. "I never knew something as simple as salt could be so fascinating!" She remarked, as Peter sat down on the couch next to her and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well then, did you and Mary Jane have fun on your date?" She said with a knowing smile. He furrowed his brow and turned toward her.

"What do you mean?" He asked. She chuckled.

"I've learned a lot of things in all my years. When a young man disappears without a word late into the night and comes back blushing like a bride, it can mean one of a few things. And I doubt you were out for a midnight jog." He nodded.

"Yeah, that's right Aunt May." They sat and watched the rest of the documentary together before heading up to bed. He couldn't help but wonder; was that what it was? A date? When a guy kisses you goodbye… he shook his head violently, driving the thought from his head. That was just it; Wade was a _guy_. Peter was sure he was just confused. As always, before climbing under the covers, he logged onto his laptop and played around on the fansite for a while. He was getting ready to sign up when a message popped up.

Hey, I had a great time today! Whaddyou say we do it again?

-Ponypool

Peter would love to be able to say he hesitated, at least a bit. But, to tell the truth, he didn't even have to think about his reply.

I'd love to! When's good for you?

-Sugarcookie


	2. Chapter 2: Revelations

"Thank you. Goodbye." Peter hung up his cell phone and put it in his pocket.

"So all the arrangements are made?" MJ asked as they walked up the staircase to the restaurant.

"Yeah. It's final." Peter had been talking with the staff at the nursing home Aunt May had finally agreed to move into. She was leaving that week. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be talking on the phone right now."

"No, no, it's alright! Just keep your eyes on me while we're eating, alright?" Peter smiled. They were seated, ordered their food, and settled into a conversation. "So." MJ eventually said, after a lengthy discussion about the food at ESU's cafeteria. "You finally met that Helix guy, huh?"

"What?" It took him a second to realize she was talking about Wade. "Oh, yeah. We met."

"What's he like?" She leaned forward eagerly. Peter thought hard. Trying to describe a guy like that….

"He has an interesting sense of humor," He finally said. "He's very outgoing." She smiled.

"Is he as into physics as you?"

"Well, not quite, but there are different degrees of, you know… interest." She giggled.

"No one's as much of a geek about it as you are, huh?" He smiled.

"You've got that right."

"Are you going to see him again, then?"

"Er…" He hesitated. The truth was, he'd seen Wade three, sometimes four times every week in the two months since they'd met. He was just such a fascinating person, he couldn't stay away! Sure, his job wasn't exactly a plus but… Peter realized that MJ was still waiting for an answer.

"Here are your meals." He was saved by the waiter, who put a plate in front of each of them and walked off.

"Ooh, let's eat!" MJ said delightedly as she dug into her meal. Peter took slow bites, distracted as he thought about his… situation. Whatever his situation was. After dinner, MJ invited him back to her house. He phoned Aunt May to make sure she knew where he was going, and drove back with her. "Give me a moment?" MJ said, smiling as she disappeared into her bathroom. Peter sat on her bed, looking around the room as if he hadn't been there hundreds of times before. Shifting his gaze to the nightstand, he saw a few papers sticking out from under a stack of books. Looking back on it, he should have respected her privacy. He should have just left them alone. But curiosity got the better of him, and he pulled the papers out and began to read.

Peter, my Peter. The fireworks I see when our lips touch. The chills when you take my hand in yours. Be mine, my love, forevermore-

He didn't get to finish reading, because that's when MJ popped out of the bathroom and caught him. Both were shocked, but thinking very different things. "Oh my gosh, I didn't mean for you to see those!" She said with a coy smile. "They're all horrible, I know." Peter just stared at the papers. Is this what love is supposed to feel like, he wondered? But… I don't feel this way at all. "Are you okay?" MJ put her hand on his shoulder. "Peter? I didn't think they were that bad!" She laughed. He stood up.

"I have to go, sorry." He said as he walked quickly out the door.

"Wait, what? Peter, don't go!" She called after him. "Did I do something wrong?" He walked all the way down the stairs and outside the building, picking up pace as he went, until he finally got to his car. He got in and started the vehicle, beginning to drive towards his home. What does this mean? He asked himself. Of course, the answer was staring him in the face; Mary Jane wasn't right for him. She never had been. But then… who was? He screeched to a stop, pulling over on the side of the road, and began to dig around in the bag on the floor of his car, pulling out the spider suit. He needed to take his mind off of all this.

Only minutes later, he was swinging high above the city, above the traffic and the lights, patrolling the neighborhood like always. He always felt better up here. Like all the troubles of the world below were suddenly insignificant. He perched on a flagpole and searched the horizon, looking for trouble.

"Catch him!" He heard a shout from below

"He's insane, boss! I ain't goin' near that freak!" Sounded like a job for the friendly neighborhood Spiderman. He jumped off his perch, slinging webs and jumping off rooftops in the direction of the voices. He smiled under the mask. He well remembered the whole "with great power comes great responsibility" speech, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy his job, right? He landed in an alleyway full of men and women dressed in fancy suits; bodyguards. In the middle of them all stood a man in an even fancier suit, which Peter guessed probably cost more than his house.

"Alright, boys and girls, what seems to be the problem?" He said, stepping toward them. There was a sudden sensation in the back of his head, and he whirled around to catch his attacker, only to be grabbed from behind and pulled into a firm hold against the wall, a blade pressed against his throat. The guys in the alley took the chance to run out, and it was just him and his attacker. Wait…

"Wade?" Peter croaked. It _was _Wade; jumpsuit and everything. And he had a knife pressed to his throat. He must not have heard him, because Wade leaned in close to him, and narrowed his eyes.

"Alright, what's the deal, joker? That guy was my mark, and you come in here and f* it all up. I got news for you pal;" he pressed the blade harder. "Nobody gets between me and a kill." Peter was caught between a rock and a hard place. If he made any move at all, the knife would cut straight into his throat, and bye-bye Peter. Of course, he looked like he was headed in that direction anyway. There was only one way out.

"Wade!" He choked his words out hoarsely, under the pressure of the knife. "Wade, it's me! Pete!" Wade's face immediately lightened, and he pulled the knife back, sheathing it in its holster at his hip.

"Pete? Why didn't you say so! Hey, buddy!" The next thing he did Peter never would have expected; he gathered him in a hug, nearly squeezing the life out of him. When he finally put him down, Wade eyed Peter critically. "So, you're the friendly neighborhood Spiderman, huh? Never would've guessed!"

"So this is your job?" Peter said abruptly. Wade looked confused.

"Well, yeah, I told you. I'm a mercenary. Shame that guy got away, though. He was my ticket to Fiji."

"You're horrible."

"I'm what?"

"You're horrible. You're just like the villains I fight every day to keep this city safe. I don't know why I didn't see it before!"

"Hey, it's fun, I can tell you that!" Peter's blood began to boil. He couldn't believe he had been so blind. To get close enough to this homicidal maniac to call him his… his _friend_. "Oh, come on. Don't you ever need a release? A way out of all the stresses of everyday life?"

"A release?" Peter snapped. "What about a therapist? Or, better yet, a straitjacket?!"

"Do you know what? You wouldn't be so damned pissed right now if you'd had the kinda life I have! Do you know what I've had to deal with? The things I've had to do to make ends meet?!"

"Oh, please. Tell me about all the hardships you've had to endure! I'm sure missing your five-o-clock appointment at the torture chamber is in your top ten, right?" All of a sudden, Wade pulled off the mask. Peter gasped. He was… he was covered. In something.

"Tumors. Skin tumors." Wade said gravely. "A couple of years ago, maybe centuries, maybe decades, I'm not sure anymore, a bunch of douchebags decided to try to make me immortal. And it worked, too; I can't die!" To demonstrate, he pulled the knife back out of its holster and sliced off his own head, holding it under his shoulder as he continued to talk. Peter stared in shock. "Only, surprise! I've got skin cancer that can't die too, which basically means I spend every moment of my life in agony!" He paused, and his gaze drifted off into the air again, as if listening to someone Peter couldn't see. "Oh, that's right, and then there's these guys. Because of the tumors that decided to crowd in on my brain and make me go fruit loopy, I have two total assholes for permanent tenants inside my head! So, yeah! I think I win the contest for shittiest life!" He put his head back on his shoulders, and twisted until it connected with an audible "pop". Peter was completely blindsided. Now he just felt like a jerk. He really shouldn't have, of course; feeling sorry for homicidal maniacs is never a good idea. But he just couldn't help but feel like he should do something.

"There has to be _something_ that makes you happy." He prodded gently. Wade looked up from staring at the ground.

"Yeah, dumbass. It's _you_." Now Peter was starting to run out of words for "shocked". Did he mean…? "It's been you since that first day, sitting and watching the cars go by!" He took both of Peter's shoulders in his hands, his tumor-riddled face close enough to feel his breath on his cheeks.

"B-but Wade!" He stuttered. "Wade, I'm not gay!" Wade raised one eyebrow.

"Yeah you are." He scoffed.

"No, I'm-" Wade didn't give him a chance to finish before he pulled him in close and, in one fluid motion, pulled up Peter's mask and kissed him. It felt… amazing. A warmth spread through Peter's body, which turned to a fire as his lips met Wade's bumpy, fascinatingly textured skin. And he found himself kissing back. It was a long minute before they finally pulled away, and looked each other in the eyes. Peter gulped. "Okay." He said. "Definitely gay."


	3. Chapter 3: Conclusions

Peter tried his hardest to keep himself together on the car ride over to the nursing home.

"Will you visit?" Aunt May asked as he got ready to depart, confident the staff could take care of her.

"Of course! As often as I can!" He hugged her, as tightly as he could without breaking something. He pulled away, and she kissed him on the cheek.

"Goodbye, Peter."

"Goodbye, Aunt May." He smiled bravely as he left out the door.

"Come on, May. Let's get you to your room." He heard one of the staff from behind him. He walked out into the parking lot, got into his car, and began to drive home. So much was going on lately. Aunt May had moved into the nursing home. He and Wade were sort of dating, and he still hadn't figured out what to do about MJ. He still sort of hoped their relationship could work out. Maybe I'm bi? A voice said to him in the back of his head; it could still work. Well, then, what about Wade? Another voice remarked. He ran his hands through his hair as he stopped at a red light. His thoughts began to drift back to a conversation he'd had with Wade the other day.

"So, what's up with this Mary Jane chick?" Wade had asked as they sat on top of a skyscraper, watching the world go by.

"She's… my girlfriend."

"But…?"

"Yeah, yeah I know. I just don't know what to do about it."

"Just dump her! What've you got to lose?" He shook his head mournfully. What have I gotten myself into? He thought. He arrived back home just in time for the start of the school day. Luckily they had left early enough, and the home was close enough that he only had to miss about half a class. He walked through the college that day in a bit of a daze, devoting every bit of his mind that wasn't needed not to look like a dunce in front of his professors to solving his little problems. Problems being the operative word; little not so much. He was startled, then, when his phone began to ring loudly in the hallway between classes. His ringtone was the chorus of All the Single Ladies; he had no regrets. He put the phone up to his ear.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Parker!" Jameson, or J. Jonah Jameson, if you want to be specific, shouted so angrily into the phone Peter could practically feel the spittle. "You haven't been to work in days! Do you think you can just slack around doing whatever tickles your boat and no one would notice?" Peter was fairly sure he was mixing phrases there, but he didn't dare point it out.

"I'm sorry, I've just been really busy lately-"

"Well, I don't give a damn! I need pictures, Parker, now!" Peter sighed. What was he planning on pinning on Spiderman now? The economy? Global warming, perhaps?

"Yes, sir." He said, a little too sarcastically. Jameson grunted angrily, then hung up the phone.

"Guess who!" Two hands were suddenly clapped over Peter's eyes.

"Err… Oprah?" He guessed jokingly.

"Bzzt!"

"Scarlett Johansson?"

"Bzzt! One more try!"

"Mary Jane Watson?"

"Ding ding ding! We have a winner!" She turned him around, reached up and kissed him. Peter pulled away quickly. "What's wrong?" She asked, looking hurt.

"We need to talk." He took her to their favorite place, a shady bench out in the quad. They sat down, she with the same worried look on her face.

"Peter, I know what "we need to talk" means." He took a deep breath. And told her the story - the _whole_ story – about him and Wade. It was a long one, to be sure. She even laughed a little once, when told the true identity of the "physics board". And when he finished, she seemed… relieved.

"How can you be so calm about this?" He asked. She smiled, sadly.

"Peter, I know it comes with the job and all, but you've lied to me so many times in this relationship. To protect me, to protect yourself, sometimes just to protect your ego. And even though I don't like the way it came about… I'm glad. Glad that you're finally telling me the truth." She stood up, and he followed. "Do you love him?" He didn't even have to hesitate; he nodded. "Let me just try something." She cupped his cheek in her hand and kissed him, one last time. This is the difference between her and Wade, Peter realized; when I kiss MJ, it feels like kissing. When I kiss Wade, it feels like the world falls away, and it's only us two. It feels _right._ She pulled away. "Anything?" She asked. He shook his head.

"No. I'm sorry." She looked down. "We can still be friends!" He said hastily. He did not want to lose her over this. Even if he didn't love her the way he did Wade, she was still like a sister to him.

"Yeah. Sure." She didn't wait for a reply before she took off, walking briskly back to the main building. Peter plopped down on the bench, head in hands. He had really messed up this time. There had to have been some way, some combination of words he could've used to break the news without hurting her, but he'd just gone ahead and blurted it out! He just hoped their relationship wouldn't be ruined forever.

"Come on, stay a few more minutes!"

"I can't, there's a bank robbery down the street. I can get there hours ahead of the police, we both know it."

"Please, Pete?" A year after graduation, Mary Jane was sitting with Peter and Wade in their new, shared apartment. After being introduced, she and Wade had become fast friends; as evidenced by her adoption of his nickname for Peter. "I want you to be here when I try my first chimichanga!"

"Trust me, MJ, I'll be back in fifteen minutes, tops." He swung out the window. Fifteen minutes passed, and he was still absent.

"They're getting cold." Mary Jane observed of the plate of deep-fried burritos sitting before her.

"That's it, I'm calling him." He picked up the landline and dialed Peter's number, waiting anxiously for him to pick up. MJ shut her ears for the inevitable loud, unintelligible rant.

"WHERE ARE YOU? I slave over a hot microwave for minutes on end and you can't even bother to come home in time to eat before it gets cold? I made chimichangas Pete! _Chimichangas!_ For _you!_"


End file.
